Atascadero sex offender charged with sex crimes against a child under 10

Fred Raymond Knight II, a registered sex offender living in Atascadero, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to three felony charges related to performing sex acts on a child. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office

Fred Raymond Knight II, a registered sex offender living in Atascadero, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to three felony charges related to performing sex acts on a child. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office

A registered sex offender living in Atascadero has been charged with committing sodomy on a child under the age of 10 years old.

On Monday, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony charges against Fred Raymond Knight II, including sodomy on a child under the age of 10, penetration or oral copulation of a child under 10, and lewd acts upon a child.

He is currently listed on the Megan’s Law database as having a 2011 conviction in San Luis Obispo County for committing lewd acts on a child under 14, though court records list that conviction in 2012.

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Court records indicate his home address as an apartment in the 5500 block of Traffic Way, directly across the street from Colony Park and the community center.

He is currently in custody at the San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of $700,000 bail after a warrant was issued for his arrest Aug. 22. Jail records show he was booked into jail Aug. 23.

Knight was arraigned in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Tuesday but did not enter a plea. The Public Defender’s Office declared a conflict in the case, and a conflict public defender was appointed to represent him, though court records do not yet list the attorney’s name.

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Knight isn’t due back in court for a further arraignment until Sept. 25.

Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth declined to discuss the specifics of the case Tuesday.

Asked for details about Knight’s arrest, Atascadero police Lt. Jason Carr wrote in an email that the department’s investigation remained ongoing Tuesday and that witnesses were still being interviewed. But Carr added that the department plans to release more information in the coming days.

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